Trauma Consultations in Juvenile and Family Courts

Research shows that traumatic stress caused by child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, criminal victimization, and other stressors can negatively impact mental and physical development on a long-term basis. The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) and the National Child Traumatic Stress network developed a trauma consultation protocol for juvenile and family court settings aimed at helping courts and the related systems they work with become more trauma informed. In Preparing for a Trauma Consultation in Your Juvenile and Family Court, NCJFCJ offers judges and courts guidance for assessing whether trauma consultation may be appropriate for their jurisdiction.

This manual offers insights on the conceptualization of the operational framework of the trauma consultation team. Other topics discussed include the following:

Why Should Juvenile and Family Courts Be Trauma Informed?

Is Your Juvenile or Family Court Ready for a Trauma Consultation?

How Should Courts Prepare for a Consultation?

What Should You Expect During the Consultation?

How Do You Use the Consultation Recommendations and How Do You Sustain Your Work?

Links

Articles in Children's Bureau Express are presented for informational purposes only; their inclusion does not represent an endorsement by the Children's Bureau or Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Children's Bureau Express does not disclose, give, sell, or transfer any personal information, including email addresses, unless required for law enforcement by statute. Contact us at cb_express@childwelfare.gov.